Orbost Snowy Rovers have caused the upset of the season, knocking off unbeaten ladder leader, Lucknow in round 13
of the East Gippsland Football Netball League last Saturday at Lochiel Park.
It was the Blues’ fifth consecutive win, having claimed Wy Yung, Paynesville, Stratford, Lindenow and now the Magpies in a purple patch of form.
A season that looked dead and buried a month ago is now very much alive, with the Blues currently fifth on the ladder, trailing the third and fourth-ranked sides, Boisdale Briagolong and Stratford by just four points.
In the final four rounds of the season, Orbost will play Boisdale Briagolong (away), Lakes Entrance (home), Wy Yung (away) and Paynesville (home).
If they can maintain their current form and winning run, they will make the finals, but really need to win this week at the Cabbage Patch to keep the momentum
and pressure on the Bombers and the Swans.
The close surrounds of the
Boisdale Recreation Reserve will suit the Blues, but the Bombers have had an early win with stoppage king, Kelvin Porter only copping a reprimand for his
interaction with Cats utility Norm Barry last Saturday.
With Lucknow going into the clash against the Blues without league best and fairest favourite, Linc McKenna, Orbost didn’t have to deal with a headache that has hindered every team this season.
McKenna’s elite fitness and running capacity, getting him to contests that other players just can’t get to, reminiscent of Porter at his prime at Gippsland League level.
After an even first term, played in close, with the teams feeling each other out, the Magpies asserted the ascendancy which has held them in good stead all season, kicking three goals to one, opening up a handy 13-point advantage by half time.
Perennial club best and fairest, Joel McNamara and skipper Jesse Glassborow were getting plenty of the ball for the Magpies, and Andrew Nelson was proving to be a thorn in the Blues side, doing what he does best, intercepting marks or punching effectively.
But Orbost regrouped at half time, kicking three goals to one in the third term as inaccuracy set in upon the Magpies, missing a couple of shots in the third term that it should have slotted.
Trailing by three points at the final break, it was now or never for the Blues, whose season was on the line, playing with their new found confidence, they again kicked three goals to one in the final term, sensing an upset they went to another level, playing team football, and scoring their most significant win in the last two seasons.
Gus Rogers, Tom Smith and Max Welsh all kicked three goals for the Blues, with John Gooch the major scorer for Lucknow with
three, with Harvey Abraham
kicking two.
Best players for Orbost were the rejuvenated Smith, Kieran Vickery, Charlie Mein, Welsh, Curtley Nettleton and Sean Nippress.
The Magpies were well served by McNamara, Glassborow, Nelson, Logan Croucher, Rhys Perkins and Nick Mooney.
